The first official image from Martin Scorsese’s What Happens at Night has been released, offering an initial glimpse at Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence in character as filming continues across the Czech Republic.
Shared by both Scorsese and DiCaprio on social media, the image shows the two leads walking hand in hand through a stark, wintry landscape. The still confirms earlier reports about the film’s tone and setting, positioning the project as a psychological, “haunted marriage” drama with strong visual ties to Scorsese’s Shutter Island.
The release of the image comes as production remains underway in Prague and other Czech locations, following recent shoots in the capital, near Kolín, and in the northern Bohemian town of Úštěk. The Prague Reporter previously confirmed that filming began in late February, with city-center shoots and additional location work scheduled through March.
First look reveals tone and lead performances
The newly released image provides the clearest indication yet of What Happens at Night‘s aesthetic direction. DiCaprio appears with a mustache, darker hair, and glasses—matching earlier set photos from Czech locations—while Lawrence walks beside him in a subdued winter setting that reflects the novel’s isolated European environment.
The film is based on Peter Cameron’s novel and follows an American couple traveling to a small, snowbound town to adopt a child. As they settle into a mysterious hotel, their sense of reality and their relationship begin to fracture.
According to Variety, the story leans into psychological horror elements, echoing the atmosphere of Shutter Island while focusing more directly on the dynamics of a marriage under pressure. The imagery suggests a restrained, character-driven approach rather than large-scale spectacle, aligning with Scorsese’s more introspective work.
The project also marks the first on-screen collaboration between Scorsese and Lawrence. DiCaprio, meanwhile, reunites with the director for their latest feature following Killers of the Flower Moon, The Wolf of Wall Street, and The Aviator, continuing one of the most prominent director-actor partnerships in contemporary cinema.
Cast expands as Czech filming continues
In addition to the first-look reveal, the production has finalized its casting ensemble with the addition of Welker White, a longtime Scorsese collaborator. The actress previously appeared in several of the director’s films, including Goodfellas, The Irishman, and Killers of the Flower Moon. Details of her role in What Happens at Night have not been disclosed.
She joins a cast that includes Mads Mikkelsen, Patricia Clarkson, and Jared Harris, alongside DiCaprio and Lawrence. Mikkelsen is confirmed to play Brother Emmanuel, a mysterious faith healer encountered by the central couple, while the roles of other supporting cast members remain under wraps.
Filming continues across multiple Czech locations. Production began with a discreet shoot at the W Prague hotel on Wenceslas Square, followed by location work at Château Kotěra near Kolín and Úštěk in northern Bohemia, where artificial snow was used to create the film’s winter setting. Additional sequences expected to be filmed in studio.
The use of diverse Czech locations reflects the film’s need to depict a fictional European setting, with Prague and surrounding areas doubling for an unnamed town central to the story.
Backed by Apple Studios and Studiocanal and produced through Scorsese’s Sikelia Productions, What Happens at Night is expected to target a 2027 release. With filming ongoing and the first official image now released, the project is beginning to take clearer shape as one of the most high-profile international productions currently shooting in the Czech Republic.
Lead photo: Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio in What Happens at Night © Apple Original Films / Niko Tavernise
